Back at Gundalia
by anywhat
Summary: The fighting is finally over and the Gundalians now face a new threat. Can they come together to handle it? Mainly focuses on Jesse
1. Prologue

Jesse remained silent as the Castle Knights said their goodbyes to each other and their individual partners, book in hand. A carefully maintained half smirk was the only sign of emotion he let grace his face. He could feel Plitheon's burning presence, floating just off his right shoulder. The sooner they were gone, the better.

Plitheon knew when Jesse was acting. At least when he paid attention to his partner, which he had never ceased to do from the moment he and Jesse were released from Kazarina's spell. Jesse had called out all the normal attacks, crushing his enemies through Plitheon with his unique and wonderful flair, just as he always had. The horrible taunts were absent though, and Plitheon didn't know whether to be worried or grateful. Favorites of Plitheon's were used, and he relished in them, loving the way Jesse drove his opponents into the dirt in the most theatrical way. Jesse never even commented when he won though, which was unusual. Plitheon mentally kicked himself for not learning Jesse's signs. Other pairs, he knew, could know how each other were feeling at a second's glance, but Jesse could be a mystery when he wanted.

The burning memory of his betrayal had never left Plitheon's mind, the sheer look of betrayal on Jesse's face, the utter shock. Denial had even surfaced, but Plitheon had crushed that. Even the two on the platform had seemed shocked by Plitheon's actions. What kind of punishment would Jesse inflict, Plitheon wondered. Once he had gotten so mad that he had refused to fight for a month. That had been the worst month of Plitheon's life. Another time, Jesse had simply stopped talking to him. At first, it wasn't so bad, but Plitheon began to yearn for Jesse's voice, which he finally and begrudgingly gave.

Finally, the parting words were said and they teleported back to the airships. Jesse and Plitheon were the only two of the former twelve orders on board Airzel's old ship, but the crew knew what to do. Jesse never let himself be alone, standing directly in the cockpit of the ship at all times, attendants and crew always near. Occasionally he leafed through his book, but never focused on one of the pages. During one of the moments Plitheon thought was private, he softly spoke to Jesse, "Listen, Jesse, about what happened,"

"Not now," Jesse's voice was ice and he never looked directly at his bakugan. Plitheon finally felt something like fear spike at his stomach.

Suddenly, Zenet's overly excited face leapt onto the screen. As usual, she was just a little too close to the monitor, her face filling up the entire screen. Jesse and Plitheon could see Ren in the background, standing quietly behind the excited girl. Jesse grinned a bit at the sight of her.

"Hey Jesse," Zenet started. "How are you? You ready to get back to Gundalia? I sure am. Being Kazerina's slave was the worst. How did you like it? I can't remember most of it, but what I do gives me the creeps. I think it's like an hour more 'fore we get home. Can't wait to see my old room again."

Jesse was nearly blown away by Zenet's energy. He had a conspiracy theory that Ren had told Zenet to call him just to get her focus away from himself. Jesse couldn't blame him. Zenet could tire anybody out.

"It will be nice to go back," Jesse agreed. He looked vaguely amused by Zenet. Plitheon was just glad he didn't look as distracted anymore.

"I know!" Zenet eagerly agreed, hair bobbing up and down with her nod. "Do you know how they're going to make the new government? Asked Ren, but he won't say."

"Because I don't know," Ren exasperatedly told her.

"MKay," Zenet said, unconvinced. Ren heaved a quiet sigh.

Zenet refocused on Jesse. "Hope I can stay. How 'bout you? You wanna stay?"

Jesse didn't flicker. "I believe retirement is the best option –"

Zenet cut him off. "Retire, you? Why would you do that? It's not like you're old or anything."

"Really?" Jesse said through half a grin. "I feel it. Besides, it's a bit tiring, all this government politics and rivalry and strife. It's time I move on with life."

"Oh no, you're leaving," Zenet finally realized. "You gonna do it as soon as we get home?"

"No use in prolonging the inevitable," Jesse shrugged.

"Where's that from?" Zenet asked.

Jesse grinned. "Nowhere. Me."

"Well goodbye," Zenet hurried. Jesse and Plitheon could have sworn they saw tears in Zenet's eyes, but she got off the server within seconds of her words.

Plitheon rotated to face Jesse. "How can we retire? You're not even thirty. What am I supposed to do, fight in tournaments? What are you thinking Jesse?"

"What am I thinking?" Jesse repeated softly. His voice was flat with a bitingly soft kind of sarcasm. Plitheon didn't know what to say.

Just then, the ships docked back at the castle. Jesse exited the ship to meet the other surviving members of the twelve orders.

"You're retiring?" Lena said, frowning under her glasses. Jesse guessed, correctly, that Zenet had immediately gotten on with Lena and told her the news.

"Do I get to retire?" Mason quipped.

"Yes, I plan to as soon as I can get the paperwork in," Jesse confirmed.

Nurzak was walking down the ramp of his ship. "You want to leave? Your help would be greatly appreciated here, forming the new government."

Jesse shaded his eyes. "I'm sure what little help I could bring will not be missed. Perhaps it will be best if I find a new place."

Nurzak tilted his head. "If this is your wish, I will not make you fill out the forms. You may leave as soon as you wish."

Jesse bowed, not enough to be mocking, but still deep. Plitheon knew of Jesse's hatred of paperwork. "My thanks."

Nurzak nodded and Jesse went off to his rooms. As he passed his former companions, he noticed shock and sadness written on some of their faces. Mason didn't really care.

Jesse moved quickly and quietly to his rooms, his coattails flapping behind him. As soon as the door was shut to Jesse's quarters, Plitheon unleashed. "RETIREMENT? RETIREMENT? Jesse, what are you thinking? I can't retire. I'm good for at least another twenty years. Why would you do this to us, Jesse?"

"Us?" Jesse finally pulled up the shade. "You think there's an us? There is no us. Us died the day you abandoned me in my time of need." Jesse didn't shout, but his words still impacted like punches.

"You're… you're leaving me?" Plitheon landed on the couch, too shocked to fly.

"Yes," Jesse stated with absolute certainty. "I'm giving you your dignity, although you sure as anything don't deserve it. The story is you didn't feel like retiring, so you're staying. Easy enough, not even you can mess it up."

Plitheon remained silent.

Jesse had only filled a small duffle bag, taking some changes of clothes and a few toiletries from the bathroom. He cast a disparaging glance around the rooms. "Four years and nothing worth taking." He shook his head in disgust and strode toward the door, duffle over his shoulder and book in the opposite hand. "Goodbye Plitheon."

And Jesse was gone, and Plitheon was alone.

Jesse swept through the halls toward his car. On his way, he ran into Zenet. She looked up at him in shock. "Already? I was going to help you pack."

"Done," Jesse held up his bag. Zenet looked at it for half a second before flinging her arms around Jesse, bringing him into a crushing hug.

"I'll miss you," Zenet said into his clothing.

Jesse nearly put his hand on Zenet's head, but remembered how she hated anyone messing with her hair at the last minute. He moved it to her back. "People change, but memories stay, and you'll always be in mine," Jesse said to the girl.

"Where's Plitheon?" asked Contestir.

"Plitheon chose to stay. I guess retirement isn't for everyone." Jesse said, keeping his voice perfectly in check.

"You two are splitting?" Zenet asked, surprised.

"It is what it is," Jesse merely said. He pulled away from Zenet. "Goodbye, Zenet. I hope to see you again someday."

"'Bye, Jesse," Zenet repeated.

Zenet watched as Jesse walked into the garages and threw his duffle into his car. He got in and pulled out, into the Gundalian city. She really was going to miss him, as strange and annoying as he could sometimes be. That fact that he and Plitheon had split also bothered her.

"So Plitheon and him split," she wondered aloud. Contestir popped open on her shoulder.

"There have been rumors going around about them. Most say that Plitheon betrayed him somehow, while Jesse was being punished by Kazarina for some failure. I didn't know whether to believe them, but now I think I do."

Zenet looked at him in surprise. "Betrayed? Really? I didn't think that happened."

"It's rare, but it happens from time to time," Contestir responded. "If so, I don't blame Jesse for leaving him. He's too good for a bakugan like Plitheon."

"Poor guy," Zenet concurred. "Hate to lose my partner," she added, grinning at Contestir. He chuckled.

"That would be horrible."

Mason and Lena turned the corner and joined Zenet.

"Where's actor boy?" Mason asked. "I wanted to say goodbye."

"You're too late. He just left." Zenet told him.

"He wasted no time," Lena remarked. "Do you know what plans they have?"

"It's just Jesse. Plitheon and him split."

Mason and Lena shared a look.

"Am I always the last to know about everything?" Zenet cried exasperatedly.

"Well, not quite. I don't think the janitors know yet," Mason answered. Zenet glared at him.

"Wonder what Plitheon will do," Lena went on.

"Who cares?" Mason callously responded.


	2. Calling

Plitheon had waited for Jesse to return. Day turned into night and returned to day, but Plitheon could be patient. Jesse was just angry. He just needed some time to cool off, then he'd come back. Plitheon knew it. In the meantime, Plitheon would be here, sitting on the pillow to Jesse's bed. After being away for so long, it didn't really smell like Jesse anymore, but enough of the paper and ink and Jesse were there to pick up.

Finally, on the third day, the cleaners had come to empty Jesse's room. Plitheon had been greeted by the cold, sharp truth. Jesse wasn't coming back.

_That's okay,_ he had told himself. _I don't need him. I can go to that interspace thing. Plenty of people there, better people._

Satisfied with his plan, Plitheon had stealthily made his way to the teleporter. On his way, he had nearly run into Mason and Lena as they walked past. He had hid himself in a nook in the hallway before he could be seen.

"Heard from Jesse?" Lena had asked Mason.

"No, why?" Mason asked.

"Just curious. No one has since he left, not even Zenet. It's like he dropped off the face of the planet," Lena replied.

"Mmph, is that so bad?" Mason had shrugged.

"Different, without him here," Lena said passively.

"Who needs him? Never understood a word he said anyway."

"What ever happened to Plitheon?" Lena went on.

"Probably hiding himself away somewhere, maybe Interspace. Probably knows he's not welcome here. If Jesse left him, something must be wrong with him."

"I guess the rumors were true," Lena assumed, turning the corner with Mason.

_Sooner I get out of this dump, the better, _Plitheon had thought to himself. He finally turned into the teleporter room. The keypad loomed high above him, but it wasn't the height that gave him pause. It was the buttons themselves. He knew the code, but pressing them would be another matter altogether. _I've got this,_ Plitheon told himself. He began to throw himself at the keyboard. _Five, Nine, Two, _he grunted with every hit. _Seven. _The teleporter charged and he got inside just as it commenced.

_Interspace, here I come._

That had been a year ago.

Plitheon's current partner put him down near the fountain.

"You're insufferable!" She cried. One of the reason's Plitheon thought she might have worked out was her vocabulary, which although not as good as Jesse's, was still pretty impressive.

"You can't brawl worth a penny! You never even activated the gate card! Who doesn't activate the gate card!" Plitheon retorted. This was after their third loss, which had been pretty spectacular on all accounts. Plitheon regretted ever going with her.

"We're done," the girl said and stormed away, leaving Plitheon on the fountain.

_Freaking noob, _Plitheon thought to himself. _The gate card is one of the most important moves. Whenever Jesse threw his he always crushed his opponents. What kind of idiot doesn't know that?_

Still, he felt vaguely uncomfortable. That was the last in a long line of partner failures, and Plitheon was starting to recognize old exes. That never ended well.

Plitheon just couldn't find anyone right. That last one never used his potential. A couple of them couldn't even throw him right, doing this flicking thing with their wrists or hauling him out there. And there was this one – Plitheon shuddered – that smelled like some horrible mix of green apple and disinfectant. That relationship hadn't lasted long at all.

Plitheon made his way to the bookshop he had grown used to staying at. Why there was a bookstore in Interspace he couldn't fathom, but there it was. It didn't do much business, but occasionally a customer would walk out, book in hand. He snuck in through the open door and hid himself on one of the shelves. It was warm here, and dark where he was, behind the books. It kind of reminded him of Jesse's pocket, the one in the bottom of his coat. He preferred the one higher up, near the middle where it didn't swing too much when he walked, but it was ok.

He slowly drifted off as the last customer left and the owner shut down, turning off the lights and locking the door. Jesse had always locked his door, but Plitheon never asked why. The government back then wasn't the friendliest of places.

Finally, sleep overtook him and he fell into a dreamless dark. He was glad when dreams didn't come. They were never happy.

Suddenly, he was floating above what looked to be a dark lake. He was in full figure, his wings stretched out behind him. Then he realized who else was there. Lena and Zenet and Mason and Ren were all present, Phosphos, Contestir, Avior, and Linehalt standing behind them respectively. But most importantly, Jesse was standing right in front of him. Everyone was looking around in shock, but Jesse was frozen on him, his purple eyes wide with surprise. Plitheon stared in return. Jesse hadn't changed a bit, shoulder length choppy blond hair and his green long coat. That old book was still in hand, currently being nervously thumbed through.

Abruptly, the Sacred Orb appeared before them. "Agents of Gundalia," the Sacred Orb spoke. "A great evil is coming. Only you can combat it, lest Gundalia fall." Jesse had turned to face the Sacred Orb, so he didn't see his face, but the set of his shoulders indicated Jesse wasn't convinced. He had to agree, it seemed rather false.

"I give to you the powers of your attributes," the Sacred Orb boomed. Suddenly, each of the bakugan was surrounded by light, pouring into them its power. Plitheon's own green light excited every nerve, and when it was done left a wonderful burning feeling. Plitheon felt like he could win anything.

"And to you, brawlers, the keys. Each one unlocks your partner's power." Cards, similar to ability cards, floated down to the Gundalians. Each reached up and grabbed them, staring at them all the while.

"The future is in your hands," the Sacred Orb intoned. "Do not let it be destroyed."


	3. Confirmation

"That sounds like the plot to some horrible anime show," Destri said to Jesse. Jesse had just finished telling her about his strange dream over breakfast. Destri took another bite of her cereal while Jesse peeled his second orange. "Don't you think your subconscious could have been a little more original?"

Jesse chuckled. "You're right. A nightmare on all accounts."

"How did the Sacred Orb end, 'You must not fail, else all is lost'?"

"Very nearly. Maybe I should go see a show more often. My brain is obviously starved for ideas."

"You do that, I'm going to work." Destri stood up from her chair and walked across the stage. She grabbed her dark red coat from the coatrack backstage and made her way down the stage and up the aisle. "See you later," She waved goodbye to her brother.

"Farewell," Jesse responded. He mildly regretted not showing her the card he had found clutched in his hand when he woke. After staring at it in shock, he quickly put it in his trusted book, buried in pages he had long ceased to open.

He watched his sister leave the theatre with something akin to sorrow. If he was to be honest with himself, he had become something of a shut-in. It was nothing for him not to leave the theatre for weeks on end. Destri did most of the shopping and took the clothes to and from the cleaners for him, not to mention all the little things that required going out.

Jesse was eternally grateful they had met that day, not a month after he left the government. Destri had been sitting on a park bench when he happened to walk past on his way to finalize the purchase of the theatre. Recognizing her immediately, he sat down next to her. He took in her disheveled appearance. Her hair looked like it hadn't been washed in a week, but the color still shone through.

She had cautiously looked at him through the corner of her eye, not willing to strike up a conversation with a total stranger.

"It's been far too long, hasn't it?" Jesse had asked her.

"Jesse?" Her eyes had widened in shock. "Jesse!" She moved to embrace him. Destri always gave the best hugs, he reflected.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were with the government," she said when she had finished her hug.

"I moved on. No reason to stay," Jesse responded. Destri had nodded quietly.

"Good, good."

"Is everything alright with you?" Jesse quirked his eyebrows at her.

"Everything's fine. Why wouldn't it be?"

"You know," Jesse gave half a grin, "I like to believe that after twenty years together I would be able to tell when you're not being honest."

Destri's face had caved in. "Alright. To be honest, it's not quite fine."

"Go on," Jesse encouraged.

"Lost the house a week ago. After the boss fired me for layoffs, I couldn't pay the rent. You're sitting on my bed." She gave a mean chuckle. "All those years, I thought I had it. You with the government, me with my job, I thought we were set. I didn't want you to know I…"

Jesse moved in closer to put his arm around his sister's shoulders. "You know you're always welcome with me. I just got a theatre on Green Street. It's got plenty of room for two."

Destri remained silent, looking at her brother. Tears were alien to her since her fifth birthday candles blew out, but her eyes shone with gratitude.

"You bought a theatre?" She asked, grinning slightly.

Jesse smiled at the memory. He grabbed his book from where it had been sitting next to his coffee and went down to the seats. They were rather dusty after so many years of being unused, but Jesse had reupholstered a few, to sit in as he read.

The hours passed, just as they always had, while Jesse read the now well-worn book. _Need to repair the binding, _he thought to himself offhandedly. He scratched in a few notes to himself on one of the last clean pages. 

After so long, he rose to walk to the piano sitting stage left. It had been awhile since he last played, but the talent had quickly returned after a few hours' practice.

"Still carrying that stupid book, I see," a voice echoed through the empty theatre. Jesse whipped around, eyes narrowed as he searched for the voice he half recognized. There, standing at the top of the aisle, was none other than Mason Brown, sneering at him.

"The door is not locked as a sign to enter," Jesse snapped.

"Is that how you greet your former teammate?" Mason quipped.

"What is your purpose, Mason?" Jesse stared him down.

"I would have thought you knew," Avior answered. "You were there with everyone else."

"I don't know what you're talking of," Jesse confidently stated.

"Don't play dumb," Mason retorted. "You know good and well why we're here. Now don't make this hard and just come on. The rest are at the castle."

"I don't know what you're talking about and I'm not coming. I'm completely satisfied here."

Mason took a disparaging glance at the theatre. "Yeah, home sweet home." Jesse frowned at him.

"I don't want to battle with you, Jesse, but I will if I have to," Mason warned. Avior snapped back into ball form at his words, ready to be thrown.

"So willing to fight," Jesse sighed.

"And why not?" Another strange voice answered. This time, even Mason looked surprised, rotating his head to find the source of the noise.

A figure stepped out of the shadows, clad in blue and white. He leered at them, pointed teeth shining under hate filled eyes.

"Who do you think you are?" Mason ridiculed the newcomer.

"Doesn't matter," the stranger smiled at him. "What matters is what I think you have."

Mason shifted his stance. "I don't know who you are, creep, but you should leave. Now."

"Or you'll what? Shake your fist at me?" Jesse successfully hid a smile.

"That's it," Mason said. "Gate card, set!" He reared back and threw Avior. "Bakugan, brawl! Rise! Subterra Avior!"

Avior transformed from ball form. "I'm going to make you wish you never came here," he snarled.

"Bakugan, brawl! Aquos Stratyspho, stand!"

Stratyspho rose, looking like some cross between a hydra and a fish. Scales coated him from head to toe. Both of his heads snarled at Avior.

"To bad this isn't a battle of appearance, or you probably would have won," Avior mocked.

"I'll grind you into dust, dinosaur," Stratyspho replied pithily.

"Ability activate! Typhoon boom!" Stratyspho's mouths started glowing and then spat steaming jets of water, aiming at Avior.

"Abitlity activate! Offering armor!" Mason shouted. The jets harmlessly streamed off of Avior. _And onto the chairs,_ Jesse noted.

"Is that all you got?" Avior sneered.

"Consecutive ability activate! Bolting chain!" Stratyspho cried out as he was electrocuted. He staggered back, crushing the wall as he did so.

"Ability activate! Wendor Rip!" the stranger drew his ability card. Stratyspho immediately bit Avior's neck.

"Ack!" Avior cried. His tail flailed and knocked over some of the supporting pillars of the theatre.

"Avior!" Mason shouted. "Gate card activate! Stasis lock!"

Stratyspho began glowing a light tan. "Can't… move…"

"That's right," Avior grinned.

"Stasis lock immobilizes its opponents and prevents them from activating any more abilities." Mason finally grinned.

"Ability activate! Long aercules!" Avior shot at Stratyspho, knocking him into the stage and through it. Jesse looked up in fear at the rafters, which were beginning to buckle and snap.

"Mason," he leaned over.

"Hmm, what?" Mason snapped.

"I think it's time we bid adieu." Jesse pointed a finger at the ceiling.

"You might be right there," Mason agreed, looking distrustfully at the ceiling. "Avior, return!"

Avior looked at him in surprise, but complied.

"What, chickening out halfway through? What a bunch of – " the stranger was cut off when a hunk of ceiling broke off in front of him. Jesse grabbed Mason by the arm and half dragged him through the door and into the street.

Mason and Jesse stood awe and shock as the entire theatre crumbled before them. "You broke my theatre," Jesse said, too shocked to say more.

"Well, no reason to stay here then," Mason responded. "Where's Plitheon at?"

"Interspace, I believe," Jesse said dazedly, still staring at the home he had stayed in for the past year.

"Interspace? Why would your partner be in Interspace without you?" Mason asked.

"He's not my partner," Jesse responded.

"Well according to the Sacred Orb he is, so it's off to interspace we go," Mason grabbed Jesse and began dragging him along. Jesse was still in a state of shock, so he didn't fight.

"Hey!" A woman's voice called out. Jesse and Mason turned around to see Destri running to catch up with them. "What happened to the theatre?" She took a look at Jesse. "Oh wow, are you alright?"

"You found yourself a girlfriend?" Mason looked shocked.

"She's my sister," Jesse replied.

"Well, sissie, we're going to Interspace. See you when we get back," Mason turned back and began dragging Jesse again.

"I'm coming too," Destri said, grabbing Jesse's other hand.

"Oh no you're not," Mason sneered.

"Oh and I'm supposed to stay here? In the theatre you ruined?"

"No one said I ruined it."

"No one said you didn't."

Mason glared at her. "Fine." He shrugged in disgust. "Whatever." Destri looked satisfied.


	4. Reunion

"So where is Plitheon?" Mason asked Jesse.

"I don't know," Jesse snapped. He peered around at the surroundings. "They've recreated the set," he muttered to himself.

"Yeah, they added some new arenas, to deal with the flood of people," Destri told him.

Jesse raised his eyebrows. "You've recently been here?"

Destri looked away. "Yeah…"

"When?"

She sigh, "I don't work on Saturdays."

Jesse stared at her.

"I don't brawl, I just watch," she added hurriedly.

"Confessionals later. Locating your missing partner now," Mason yelled over his shoulder as he walked away. Destri and Jesse followed.

They began at the arenas. It was decided unanimously that that would be the obvious place for a bakugan like Plitheon. None of the listings, however, had any mention of Plitheon on them.

"Probably found a new partner," Jesse muttered to no one in particular.

"Tell me a bit about Plitheon," Destri dropped beside him. Mason went on to check the next listing.

"Haven't I?" Jesse looked at her.

"Not especially."

"Hmmm, how to begin," Jesse shaded his eyes as he recalled his former partner. "Well, he was always ready to brawl, and if there wasn't a brawl available, he'd make one."

"How'd you handle that?" Destri asked, surprised. "You don't seem like much of a fighter to me."

Jesse smiled. "Everyone brawled back then."

Mason stormed back. "He wasn't on any of the lists," he growled.

Jesse's face lit up. "Perhaps he went back to Gundalia. Or maybe New Vestroia. Or Neathea. We may never find him."

"We're finding him," Mason stuck a finger in Jesse's chest. He immediately stormed off to the nearest brawler. "Have you seen a bakugan named Plitheon? Green, ventus, kind of a jerk…"

Jesse sighed as he watched Mason. "Seems like you're getting your partner back," Destri smiled at him.

"If the Sacred Orb had read the playbill, she would have noticed Plitheon was not on the cast. Oh well, I guess it's above her." Jesse looked around dejectedly. Suddenly, he broke into a grin. "I wasn't aware they built a bookshop here!"

Destri looked where Jesse was heading. "I guess they thought of everything."

Jesse walked in, looking at the many shelves of books like a child in a candy store. "Can I help you find something?" came the voice of the old man behind the register.

"Oh I'm just looking," Jesse replied. He immediately started down an aisle. Shaking her head and smiling, Destri followed him. "Hold this," he said, handing Destri his book.

Mason entered the shop. "What are you two doing?" He demanded.

"This isn't helping us find Plitheon," added Avior.

"Just a minute," Jesse said offhandedly. Rolling his eyes, Mason came to stand near him. "Better make this a freaking quick minute," he muttered.

Jesse was too busy examining the shelves to reply. "They have it!" he cried excitedly, pulling a book off the shelf. Then, his face filled with shock as he noticed the bakugan hiding behind the book. "Plitheon?" he nearly whispered.

"Jesse?" Plitheon responded, equally as shocked.

"HA! You found him!" Mason cried, excited. Destri remained silent. Jesse was paralyzed, staring at the bakugan he had left so long ago.

"Jesse! Did you have that dream too? Are we going to go back to Gundalia?" Plitheon asked. "Wait, where are you going?"

Jesse was walking out of the bookstore, silent words forming on his lips. Destri grabbed Plitheon while she and Mason followed. Jesse walked over near one of the arenas under construction. Yellow tape guarded the entrance. "Jesse, you forgot your partner," Destri called.

"HE'S NOT MY PARTNER!" Jesse turned back and shouted. Mason had never seen him so angry, and flinched in spite of himself. Destri and he watched Jesse storm into the arena, ducking past the tape so fast he blurred.

"You better go talk to him," Destri looked at Plitheon.

"Yeah," Plitheon nervously agreed as he began to make his way toward the arena.

Destri and Mason stood watching him. As soon as he entered, Destri went to sit on one of the benches nearby. Mason, however, moved toward the arena. "Where are you going?" Destri called.

"Spying," Mason replied. "Duh."

"You can't do that!" Destri ran up beside him. "This is private. They have to be alone or-"

"If you don't shut up, you can't come," Mason glared at her. Destri returned the look for about three seconds, and then relented.

"Fine."

Destri and he crept quietly into the entrance, peeping their heads around the lip of the tunnel. They were granted a great view of Jesse, stalking back and forth the edge of the seats, on top of the barrier meant to provide those watching with safety. Before their eyes, Plitheon moved towards Jesse, slower and slower the closer he got.

"Jesse, listen," he began.

Jesse whirled around, an angry tornado of green topped by gold. "What? What do you have to say? 'I'm sorry I left you to die, Jesse. I'm sorry I abandoned you in order to save my own sorry self. I'm sorry about all the things I said. I'm sorry sorry sorry?'"

"Jesse, if you just give me a chance," Plitheon tried.

"A chance to what? To prove me right?" Jesse snapped back.

"Aww, are we having some issues?" A woman's voice mocked. Jesse, Mason, and Destri all turned to the opposite side of the arena, where a woman stood on the edge of the stadium. Jesse's eyes narrowed.

"We've already made enough additions, thank you," Jesse snapped at her.

"I'm not here to join you," the woman smiled evilly.

"Gate card, set! Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand!" The woman threw her bakugan into the arena. "Subterra Gravix, rise!"

Gravix rose, tan and brown and grey. He was a short bakugan, compared to others. Almost humanoid in appearance, the hammers that took the place of his hands and the horns on his head took away from the image.

"Jesse, just let me try," Plitheon begged. "Please, I'll show you…"

Jesse looked at him indecisively, then back at his opponent. "Fine. I hope you're as good as your word, for your sake."

Plitheon snapped back into a ball as Jesse grabbed him. He nearly shuddered as Jesse's slim fingers tensed around him for the first time in a year, confident and sure and deceptively strong.

"Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Rise, ventus Plitheon!"

"I will not fail," Plitheon growled.

"Let's get this started, shall we?" the woman said. "Ability activate! Hammer blows!"

Gravix's hands began glowing and proceeded to shoot copies of themselves at Plitheon. Plitheon swerved and managed to dodge most of them, but Gravix got in a few good hits.

Jesse drew an ability card from his book. "Ability activate! Hyper verde!" Plitheon relished in the way Jesse called out his attacks. No one else he had tried had that cocky panache.

"Here we go," Plitheon said with glee as he shot at Gravix. As the smoke cleared, though, Gravix emerged unharmed. "What!" Plitheon shouted. Even Jesse looked mildly surprised.

"Can't you do any better?" the woman mocked.

"It looks like you just bought front row tickets to watch your demise," Jesse barked back. Plitheon remembered how horrible at smack talk Jesse was, but decided now was not the time to bring it up.

"Consecutive ability activate! Gravity Mine!"

"Oh, yes!" Plitheon cried as Gravix toppled face first into the ground.

"Plus Slag Tornado!" Jesse cried triumphantly. He couldn't help the satisfied smirk on his face as he watched Plitheon in action. Then he caught himself.

"Well, why hold back then?" the woman smirked. "Gate card activate. Dillusion room!" The field around Plitheon grew black as Gravix disappeared.

"Where'd you go?" Plitheon said angrily. _I can't lose._

"Ability activate! Rocker Vail!" Boulders, summoned by Gravix, rose and began hitting Plitheon from all angles. Plitheon cried out in pain and hit the ground.

"Giving up?" Plitheon heard Jesse ask harshly.

Plitheon closed his eyes. "Never." He turned and punched the air where he last saw Gravix. A sharp bark satisfied his ears as the arena appeared before him. He glanced back to see how Jesse looked, but his heart fell when he saw the disapproving frown.

"Fine," Jesse drew another ability card from his book. "Ability activate! Zone Verde!"

Plitheon charged up. "Get ready to eat dirt!" He charged at Gravix, striking him from back and front and anywhere that looked open.

"Ability activate! Haze shield!" Gravix's skin began to shimmer as Plitheon's attacks lost their effectiveness. "Is that your best?" the woman taunted. "Oh well, ability activate! Sempter fare!"

Gravix's horns lit up with power that began to shoot at Plitheon, striking him dead on. Plitheon staggered back from the onslaught and fell to his knees. "Let's finish this," the woman smiled.

"Ability activate! Wave Strike!" Gravix leveled a punch at the ground, stirring boulders to rise from the resulting shock wave. The boulders ran in a straight line toward Plitheon, striking him hard in the chest. Plitheon cried out as he felt himself return to ball form.

"Jesse Life Force, fifty percent."

Gravix returned to the woman. "That wasn't very fun."

"We should help them," Mason whispered, rising.

Destri placed a hand on his arm. "Not yet."

Jesse grabbed Plitheon from the ground. "I'm not convinced you're motivated," he said.

"He just… got lucky…" Plitheon was still panting from that last blow. "You'll see… I'm good…"

"Final act," Jesse replied. "Gate card, set! Bakugan, brawl! Ventus Plitheon, stand!"

"So soon?" the woman raised an eyebrow. "Fine by me. Bakugan, brawl! Subterra Gravix, rise!"

"I will win," Plitheon stated, punctuating each word. Gravix snarled.

"Ability activate! Sempter fare!" Again, Gravix's horns lit up and shot, but this time Jesse and Plitheon were ready.

"Ability activate! Fencer shield!" None of the shots were able to reach Plitheon for the twin tornadoes that sprung from his fists.

"I hope you haven't exhausted your supply," Jesse leered.

"Not quite," the woman replied. "Ability activate! Boulderash!" One, giant boulder rose in front of Gravix, which then spun and split into many small missiles, hitting Plitheon. Finally, the original boulder sent itself after Plitheon, gaining a direct hit. Plitheon yelped in pain.

"Get up," Jesse commanded. "Ability activate! Life eater!" Plitheon rose into the air and sent spikes at Gravix, who couldn't dodge.

"Ability activate! Haze shield!" The attacks were now useless against Gravix. "Consecutive ability activate! Rocker Vail!" Plitheon desperately tried to swerve, but to no avail. He lost height as he fell in the face of the attack.

"What do you want, Plitheon?" Jesse questioned him as he landed in front of him.

"You, Jesse," Plitheon nearly snarled as he got up. Jesse didn't reply, either with his face or his voice.

"Gate card activate! Ranger Grimoire!" The gate card shone as it was activated, freezing Gravix in place. "Ranger Grimoire freezes its opponents in place and prevents them from activating any more abilities," Jesse grinned at the woman, who strangely didn't look worried.

"That's nice," was her only reply. "Break the card, Gravix!" she called to her bakugan. Gravix drew his arm back for a heavy punch and leveled it at the ground, shattering the gate card.

"What?" Jesse stared at Gravix.

"Gravix has the natural ability to shatter any gate card used against him," the woman laughed. "I guess this is the end."

"Ability activate! Hammer blows!" Again, hammers shot from Gravix's hands, each one impacting Plitheon. Staggering back, he tried to block the blows with his arms, but there were simply too many. The woman smiled as she watched Plitheon. "Consecutive ability activate! Wave Strike!"

"Not again," Plitheon moaned as the juts of rock made their way toward him. They hit him dead on, knocking the air from his lungs. The impact lifted him from the ground, but when he landed he was on his knees for the second time, supporting himself on locked elbows.

As he sucked in breath, he heard Jesse, "Is this it?"

Plitheon hauled himself up, wings shaking with the effort. "I will not yield!" He shouted at Gravix. "Jesse, give me something good."

Jesse frowned at the command, but did as he was asked. "Ability activate! Ghost Storm!"

"Get ready to fall!" Plitheon charged up and angled his body at Gravix, gaining speed with every second.

"Ability activate! Rock wall!" A solid wall of stone rose in front of Gravix, interrupting Plitheon's path.

"This is going to hurt," Plitheon muttered, but it was too late to stop. He crashed into the wall head on, rebounding from it. The yell of pain quickly faded as he returned to ball form. "No!" he cried. _I lost._

"Well that was pathetic," the woman sneered. "I don't know why I was worried you might provide a threat. Until next time," she said as she walked back into the shadows and disappeared.

Jesse stood, staring at Plitheon. "You failed," he spoke flatly.

Jesse took a half step back as Plitheon suddenly stood before him, panting while tremors ran through his wings. _Probably going to tell me how great he is and how I should be grateful to have him and – _

Jesse was cut off from his thoughts when Plitheon dropped to his knees and assumed a bowing position before him. "I'm not one to beg," Plitheon began, "but you're the exception. Jesse, be my partner. I want to be your partner and brawl with you at my back and return to your pocket. I don't deserve you, Jesse, but I need you anyways, and every day for the past year has repeated it over and over. Please, Jesse," Plitheon was growing hysterical. "I'll do anything you want. I'll never talk. I'll never pick a fight with anyone. Just, please, Jesse, please..." Plitheon fell silent, running out of words.

Jesse stared at Plitheon, taking in the slight, although magnified, tremors that racked his wingspan and the deep breaths that made his chest heave. Never before had he seen Plitheon so… desperate. Words were usually cruel with Plitheon, but the bakugan that prostrated himself before his eyes had shown another side. _It's not like I have much say in the matter anyway, _Jesse reasoned. He took a few slow steps toward Plitheon.

"I suppose, given the circumstances, we could try a temporary –"

"Thank you, Jesse. I will make you proud to have me as your partner." Plitheon promised, returning to ball form. Finding himself in Jesse's hand, he opened up. "I swear it."


	5. Warming Up

Jesse walked out of the arena, Plitheon in his pocket. When he turned to leave, Mason had roughly elbowed Destri while pulling her toward the exit. They had just made the bench when Jesse appeared, and tried to act casual.

"So where now?" Jesse asked Mason.

"The castle, of course. Come on, everyone's waiting."

"Is he always so friendly?" Destri said to Jesse as Mason went ahead to find a suitable alley to transport.

"And then some," Jesse returned, grinning. Mason pretended like he hadn't heard.

"If you're done whispering back there, we'll go," Mason shouted at them while impatiently tapping his foot. Destri rolled her eyes and sped up to meet him. Jesse grinned and followed. It had been quite a while. Plitheon rested in his pocket, tired after the battle. Jesse wondered how the coming scenes would play out.

He finally moseyed up to were Destri and Mason were waiting, impatience slathered across Mason's face. "Finally," he muttered. Jesse grabbed hold of Destri's hand. Didn't wasn't her getting lost in transport. She threw a grateful glance in his direction before they began.

Transport is an odd feeling, not unpleasant, but not entirely welcome. Destri had only done it a few times, and was not familiar with it. She unconsciously held her breath for the trip.

They materialized in the transport room in Gundalia's capitol building. Jesse looked around, taking the sights he had promised himself he would never see again. There were two guards by the door. They snapped to attention when they saw the arrivals and smartly saluted. Mason nodded at them and strode off, leaving Jesse and Destri to follow. That was one thing Jesse hadn't missed, the constant saluting and marching and pointed spears of soldiers constantly walking by. As one of the twelve orders, he was not forced to behave like a common soldier, but that did not stop them from approaching him like they were meant to.

The walk to wherever Mason was leading them to was a long one, fraught with pairs of soldiers marching. Jesse caught Destri gawking at the castle, the wide marble floors and intricate gilding of the doorways. He nudged her and tightened his eyes, reminding her to not look like such a tourist. She quickly complied.

Finally, Mason turned into a room. "Were you successful?" Jesse heard Ren's voice say.

"Yeah, I brought 'em," Mason answered. He carelessly waved a hand at the pair entering before flopping into one of the oversized chairs.

"Them?" Ren asked, before he looked at Jesse and Destri. He focused on Jesse for the time being. "Jesse! Good to have you back." He held out his hand to be shook, which Jesse did. Must not be a hugger, Destri thought to herself.

"Who is your friend?" Ren turned toward Destri.

"This is my sister, Destri," Jesse introduced her. "I assumed she would be welcome here."

Ren gave him a brief look, as if saying 'why would you think that?', but shook Destri's hand all the same.

Suddenly Lena and Zenet turned the corner into the room. "Jesse!" Zenet cried before launching herself at Jesse, wrapping him in a rib-crushing embrace. "You're finally here! Oh we're going to have so much fun together! Have you seen the new lodging wing? It's so big and it-"

"Nice to see you too," Jesse chuckled, returning the hug. He smiled fondly at the girl.

Lena adjusted her glasses. "Nice to have you back, Jesse," she greeted him. "Who is your friend?"

"This is my sister, Destri," Jesse introduced her for the second time. Handshakes were given all around, well except for Zenet, who hugged Destri with nearly the same force used on Jesse. Destri found herself liking this enthusiastic girl more and more.

"Now that the cast is assembled, what are our lines?" Jesse mildly asked Ren.

"Good question," Ren replied. He took a seat. "Ever since the dream, I've been consulting with my advisors and Nurzak as to whom this evil may be, but nobody knows."

"We ran into a couple of freaks while getting Jesse," Avior offered. Avior realized his mistake when Jesse lifted his eyebrows at him. He wasn't supposed to know about the girl that attacked Jesse. Mason, behind him, frowned.

"Did they give away their intentions? Or names?" Lena asked.

"No," Jesse replied. "It's a mystery."

"Well, I guess the thing to do then would be to stay alert," Ren sighed.

"Great," Mason rolled his eyes.

"Gah, I hate playing the waiting game," Zenet folded her arms.

Suddenly, there was an explosion from the east, clearly visible from the wall sized window.

"I guess we won't have to wait long," Destri spoke.


End file.
